The humblest are the greatest

 

Welcome to my blog and peace be with you.

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of Mary into heaven body and soul. The Word of God proclaims that Mary is full of grace and that the Lord is with her. She is blessed among women. The fruit of her womb is most blessed.

She is the perfect believer and disciple. The blessing she received in her Assumption, will be the blessing every true believer will one day receive.

15 August 2020

The Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven

The humblest are the greatest

First reading

Apocalypse 11:19,12:1-6,10 ·

A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman adorned with the sun

The sanctuary of God in heaven opened and the ark of the covenant could be seen inside it.

Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, adorned with the sun, standing on the moon, and with the twelve stars on her head for a crown. She was pregnant, and in labour, crying aloud in the pangs of childbirth. Then a second sign appeared in the sky, a huge red dragon which had seven heads and ten horns, and each of the seven heads crowned with a coronet. Its tail dragged a third of the stars from the sky and dropped them to the earth, and the dragon stopped in front of the woman as she was having the child, so that he could eat it as soon as it was born from its mother. The woman brought a male child into the world, the son who was to rule all the nations with an iron sceptre, and the child was taken straight up to God and to his throne, while the woman escaped into the desert, where God had made a place of safety ready.

Then I heard a voice shout from heaven, ‘Victory and power and empire for ever have been won by our God, and all authority for his Christ.’

 

Prayerful reflection

This passage is full of Biblical imagery. Once understand it gives us a message for all time. the woman symbolises at one level the chosen people of Israel. They are chosen to bring forth the Messiah. The Messiah will rule the whole of creation. He is Christ, the Son of God come into the world as a man. The twelve stars symbolise the twelve tribes of the chosen people. It is a difficult birth. Firstly, the people, though chosen, are a sinful and faithless people. With great difficulty the prophets tried to keep them faithful and true to God. A remnant was faithful. Secondly, the chosen people were always an oppressed people suffering at the hands of alien and hostile nations. In this context the people of Israel gave birth to the incarnate God.

The great rival at the time was the Roman Empire. The emperor proclaimed himself as God, the bearer of good news for the whole world. Everyone was to worship him. He had great political power and conquered the world. The huge red dragon symbolizes the Roman Empire, epitomised by the Emperor. It will tolerate no opposition. The Romans crucified Jesus in the flesh. But, he rose from the dead in glory and returned to the Father. He is the conqueror and will come again to rule.  

Meanwhile the Romans persecute his Church. But, though suffering now, the Church in Christ will be victorious. The dragon may symbolise all nations that oppose and persecute Christ’s Church. Ultimate victory does not belong to them but to Christ and those who are faithful.

Mary is a symbol of both the true remnant of Israel as she gives birth to Jesus. She is the image of the Church, the new people of God. She is the mother of Jesus and all those united to him through faith. Beyond imagery, in her person God fulfilled his plan. The true emperor was born from her. As she cooperated in God’s plan while on earth, so she does now that she rules with her Son. She is the symbol for us of the final victory of Christ and his Church. She also cooperates to bring it about.

 

 

 

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 44(45):10-12,16

On your right stands the queen, in garments of gold.

The daughters of kings are among your loved ones.

On your right stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words:

forget your own people and your father’s house.

On your right stands the queen, in garments of gold.

So will the king desire your beauty:

He is your lord, pay homage to him.

They are escorted amid gladness and joy;

they pass within the palace of the king.

On your right stands the queen, in garments of gold.

 

____________________

 

Second reading

1 Corinthians 15:20-26 ·

Christ will be brought to life as the first-fruits and then those who belong to him

Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep. Death came through one man and in the same way the resurrection of the dead has come through one man. Just as all men die in Adam, so all men will be brought to life in Christ; but all of them in their proper order: Christ as the first-fruits and then, after the coming of Christ, those who belong to him. After that will come the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, having done away with every sovereignty, authority and power. For he must be king until he has put all his enemies under his feet and the last of the enemies to be destroyed is death, for everything is to be put under his feet.

Prayerful reflection

Today’s feast proclaims that the Resurrection of Jesus is for all believers. Salvation is  for the whole of creation. Because of God’s grace and her cooperation Mary is the first and most perfect of all those redeemed by her Son. She stands as the sign of what each one of us will become if we are faithful to the end. Like the Resurrection in which she already shares, her Assumption is for all the redeemed.

 

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

Mary has been taken up to heaven;

all the choirs of angels are rejoicing.

Alleluia!

 

____________________

 

Gospel

Luke 1:39-56

The Almighty has done great things for me

Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, ‘Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.’

And Mary said:

‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord

and my spirit exults in God my saviour;

because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.

Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,

for the Almighty has done great things for me.

Holy is his name,

and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.

He has shown the power of his arm,

he has routed the proud of heart.

He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.

The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.

He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy

– according to the promise he made to our ancestors –

of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.

Prayerful reflection

Mary’s hymn proclaims the Gospel. God has looked on the lowly state of humanity and has done great things for us. He raises up the humble and makes them kings. The proud have no place in God’s plan. They live a lie. Nothing in themselves, they claim to be equal with God. Mary is the perfect believer and disciple. Nothing in herself, through her humble faith, God has been able to raise to his own level and give her all the blessings of the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3). Today’s feast proclaims that the humblest are the greatest. Let us follow Mary.